NFCA Adds 4 Prominent Softball Coaches to Hall of Fame for 2026

Kirk Walker | UCLA Athletics

After celebrating four illustrious coaches, Lu Harris-Champer, Judy Lawes, Mike Reed, and Suzy Willemssen, at the 2025 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Hall of Fame ceremony, four more outstanding coaches who have deeply impacted the game of softball at different levels were revealed to be inducted in the Class of 2026. 

NFCA Class of 2026 

• Ken Eriksen (University of South Florida/USA Softball
• Denny Griffin (Alma College) 
• Kirk Walker (UCLA) 
• Veronica Wiggins (Florida A&M, retired) 

While the NFCA inducts members into its Hall of Fame each December at the National Convention, nominations for this prestigious award are available year-round, and final selections are made by the Hall of Fame Committee. 

Both Walker and Wiggins are entering as “trailblazers”, a recognition for members who have contributed to the sport through service, leadership, coaching, and participation. 

This lineup will be inducted on Friday, Dec.11, 2026, in Atlantic City at the annual NFCA Convention in Atlantic City, bringing the Hall’s total to 107. 

Congratulations to our 2026 Hall of Fame class:
🥎 @USFSoftball's Ken Eriksen
🥎 @AlmaScotsSB's Denny Griffin
🥎 @UCLASoftball's Kirk Walker
🥎 @FAMU_Softball's Veronica Wiggins pic.twitter.com/2tcLeh4Mor

— National Fastpitch Coaches Association (@NFCAorg) December 13, 2025

Ken Eriksen 

Leading the USF Bulls, Eriksen has been a vital part of the softball program since 1989. He became the second head coach in program history in 1997 and has since led the Bulls to 1,161 wins, 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, two Super Regionals appearances,  a Women’s College World Series berth,  and seven conference titles. 

Internationally, Eriksen has been part of the USA Women’s National Team (USWNT) since 2002 and was named head coach in 2011.  He led the Eagles to two WBSC World Championship gold medals, two silver medals, a Pan American Games gold medal and silver medal, and a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

WBSC

Denny Griffin 

Griffin will head into his 44th year at Alma College in 2026. He’s been the Scots’ head coach since 1989, after two years as an assistant, and has collected an overall record of 1,032-432. That remarkable record ranks him 20th in victories among active NCAA head coaches, and third among active Division III coaches. 

Under Griffin, Alma College has won a record 15 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) championships, 11 MIAA Tournament titles, six NCAA Regional championships, one Super Regional, and has appeared in the NCAA World Series six times. 

At the national stage, Griffin is credited with transforming several players into standouts. He’s coached 97 NFCA All-Region players and 19 NFCA All-Americans. 

Alma College Athletics

Kirk Walker 

Walker, who is one of the biggest advocates for diversity and inclusion in sports, retired from UCLA after 24 years of service in August. 

Walker is credited with helping build the UCLA softball dynasty that won seven NCAA Championships and made 18 Women’s College World Series (WCWS) appearances while he was an assistant coach from 1984-94 and 2013-22, and an associate head coach from 2023-24. In his final season in 2025, he served in a support role as the Director of Softball Administration. 

Walker began his coaching career as an undergraduate assistant for UCLA in 1984 and stayed with the Bruins for 11 seasons, working with the pitching staff, before leaving to be the head coach at Oregon State. 

He coached 18 seasons at Oregon State from 1995-2012 and still holds the honor of being the all-time winningest coach in program history with a 594-490 record. The Beavers recorded eight seasons of at least 40 wins and made the postseason 10 times under Walker’s direction. 

Recently announced, Walker has taken the head coaching position of the OKC Spark of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL). 

UCLA Athletics

Veronica Wiggins

Wiggins led the Florida A&M softball program from 1990-2020, and her impacts are still felt within the team today. She took over in 1992 as head coach and led the team to their first winning season in 1993 with a 33-25 record. The 1997 season still holds the program record for most wins in a season with 43. 

Over her incredible career, she led FAMU to 726 wins and a 281-90 record in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play. 

Her teams historically dominated the MEAC, winning 13 championships and making eight NCAA Tournament appearances. Her remarkable leadership led her to be named the MEAC Coach of the Year five times. 

Wiggins was inducted into the FAMU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006 and later had the home field named in her honor in 2024. 

FAMU Athletics

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